Mechi & Techi

https://ift.tt/39hawNx MG Motor India has constantly been expanding its SUV line-up in our market and after introducing the Hector in India, the SUV brand has presented the Hector Plus , the Gloster and the ZS EV in its 2-year stint so far. Up next is the petrol-version of the MG ZS , now known as the MG Astor . Slated to hit the roads early next month, the Astor enters one of the most competitive SUV segments in India. The mid-size SUV category currently houses  stalwarts like the Hyundai Creta , Kia Seltos , recently launched Skoda Kushaq , VW Taigun (launching this month), Renault Duster and Nissan Kicks . We take a closer look at the Astor to see what MG's new contender brings to the table. 2021 MG Astor: exterior design details Essentially being the ZS EV, the Astor sports very similar design elements. However, compared to the ZS EV sold here, the Astor witnesses a facelift and while it’s based on the international model that recently received a revamp, there are som...

https://ift.tt/3tUfkSA As electrification in automobiles gradually becomes mainstream, there’s a possibility that some traditional body styles may give way to completely new forms and shapes for cars in the future. Mercedes-Benz ’ chief operating officer, Markus Schäfer, has said that the firm is looking into the future of estate cars and other model niches, as electrification shifts the balance of traditional market sectors. Preference for SUVs has put sedan and estate body styles under pressure Future of cabriolets and coupes also uncertain at Mercedes Mercedes to continue using leather in cars despite sustainability goals EV transformation challenging traditional body styles In an interview at the Munich motor show with our sister publication Autocar UK, Schäfer admitted that with “estate cars, we have to see. This market is under pressure as more and more customers move to SUVs, and there are just a few markets left for estates and station wagons. So we have to see how the ...

https://ift.tt/3CpQxZl Aston Martin is readying a heavily uprated performance version of the DBX SUV to rival the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT – and it could adopt V12 power. Fresh spy shots at the Nürburgring in Germany show a lightly camouflaged prototype being put through its paces. DBX S to arrive in 2023 Aggressive styling and lowered suspension expected Will rival the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT and Lamborghini Urus Aston Martin DBX S: what we know so far Signs of a bespoke styling package for the range-topping DBX centre around a new front grille and beefed-up air intakes, but more telling are reports that the car sounded extremely similar to the V12-engined DB11 and DBS. Our sister publication Autocar UK reported earlier this year that work was under way on a sportier DBX to arrive after the mild-hybrid, that is due in 2022, as part of Aston’s plan to expand the DBX nameplate into a diverse model family in the vein of its Porsche Cayenne rival. Based on the styling changes an...

https://ift.tt/2VQn0IG Coming to a showroom near you somewhere in 2022 is the super-efficient Honda City Hybrid. The company has confirmed its plans to launch the model here. “We will be launching the (City) hybrid in the next financial year,” Rajesh Goel, senior vice president Honda Cars India told us. While the Honda City Hybrid hasn’t been tested on our roads yet, we can equate fuel-efficiency figures obtained in other markets, and arrive at a rough back-of-the-envelope calculation. The Honda City Hybrid delivers an impressive 27.7kpl under test conditions in Malaysia (27.8kpl in Thailand). Expect a similar figure for India as both test cycles are very similar. To get a more realistic picture, we however need to equate this with some of our real-world figures. For reference, the Honda City 1.5 petrol mated to a CVT delivers 12kpl under Autocar India’s city test cycle. So, equate the City Hybrid and the City running under our cycle and we get an approximate real-world figure of...

https://ift.tt/3kkb1N2 Earlier this week, Citroen finally showcased its first mass market model for India, and it's the C3 hatchback . Set to launch in the first half of 2022, the C3 will compete in the crowded mid-hatch segment, and has its work cut out. But the company is confident of its chances, and in an interview with Autocar India, Vincent Cobee, global CEO of Citroen, said the C3 is a "sub-4m hatch, with a twist". He added that the company has a "number of tricks in the bag" and that the hatchback will be differentiated from the crowd. Style, size and comfort key highlights C3 to miss certain features for aggressive price ​Citroen C3's focus on design, comfort and connectivity Like all other Citroens, the C3 sports a funky design, which the carmaker hopes will inject some freshness into the segment. With its split headlamp setup, chunky styling cues and bright colours, you won't take the Citroen for anything else on the market. The compan...

https://ift.tt/3AmQygc The Nissan GT-R first made its debut in 2007 and 14 years later, Nissan is still updating its flagship supercar to keep it relevant against more modern cars in its league. Earlier this week, Nissan revealed the updated 2022 GT-R with two new special edition models – the Premium Edition T-Spec and Track Edition. Special edition models get bespoke styling and special paint options Will be limited to just 100 units Powered by same 565hp, 3.8-litre V6 engine 2022 Nissan GT-R: what’s new? The two new special edition models of the Nissan GT-R have been engineered to meet Nismo specifications and feature bespoke body panels, upgraded brakes and two special paint options. For starters, both the T-spec and Track Edition models have been updated with carbon-ceramic brakes, a carbon fibre rear spoiler, limited badging and an exclusive engine cover. The Premium Edition T-spec cars additionally get an exclusive interior with pearl suede accents, quilted Alcantara fi...

https://ift.tt/3km3nSw Volkswagen’s Polo and Vento models are currently in high demand, commanding a waiting period of up to five months across the country. However, this is subject to only certain variants of both models.  Five Polo variants have a waiting period Bookings closed for select Polo and Vento variants Taigun midsize SUV to launch on September 23 Volkswagen Polo, Vento waiting periods Presently, the Volkswagen Polo Trendline MPI, Comfortline TSI MT, Highline Plus TSI MT, Highline Plus TSI AT and the GT TSI AT variants are all commanding a waiting period of up to 5 months. Similarly, for the Vento, the Highline TSI MT variant has a five-month waiting period. Furthermore, Volkswagen dealerships have also stopped accepting bookings for the Polo Comfortline MPI and Comfortline TSI AT variants and the Vento Comfortline TSI MT and Highline Plus TSI MT. It’s likely that the manufacturer has a huge backlog of orders for these aforementioned variants and has hence instr...

https://ift.tt/3hJN93J The new Force Gurkha has been a model that the off-roading community in India has been waiting for, ever since it was unveiled at the 2020 Auto Expo . Force has finally revealed the production-spec Gurkha, ahead of its launch on September 27 . However, the Gurkha is not the only body-on-frame, three-door, made-in-India off-roader in our market, as the Mahindra Thar arguably set the groundwork for this niche segment. Now that we have the technical specifications for both, it’s only fair that we compare the two, to see which comes out on top, on paper at least. 2021 Force Gurkha vs Mahindra Thar: dimensions Dimensions Force Gurkha Mahindra Thar Length 4116mm 3985mm Width 1812mm 1855mm Height 2075mm 1844mm Wheelbase 2400mm 2450mm Ground Clearance 205mm 226mm Front/ Rear track 1490mm/ 1480mm 1520mm/ 1520mm Turning circle diameter 11.3 metres 11.8 metres Approach angle 37 degrees 41.8 degrees Departure angle 33 ...

https://ift.tt/3kmneRw Ducati is set to launch its 2021 Monster in India later in September. The manufacturer has launched multiple new models this year, with the most recent being the Supersport 950 . However, the Monster is also one of the most popular Ducatis. Big changes over predecessor Improved electronics package Makes 111hp and 93Nm of torque The Italian motorcycle company is also going to introduce the exotic Panigale V4 SP to India around November this year. You can read more about that here . Coming back to the Monster, Ducati plans to call it just that without any numerical suffix like the previous-gen models. The biggest change comes in the new aluminium front frame which is inspired by the Panigale V4. This unit attaches directly to the engine and weighs just 3kg, which is 4.5kg less than the iconic trellis frame in the old model. Weight-saving measures in other areas like the swingarm, wheels, smaller fuel tank (down from 17.5 litres to 14 litres) and even ...

https://ift.tt/3lrmx8w Aprilia has been spotted testing an updated version of its SR 160 featuring fully digital instrumentation. Appears the same as the SXR's display Rest of the scooter seems unchanged Could be offered as a variant While Aprilia's SXR models pack in a rather stylish and informative fully digital display, the SR models built on the same platform continue to soldier on with far more basic semi-digital instrument clusters. That could be set to change soon, since Aprilia has now been spotted testing an SR model equipped with a fully digital display. While it's rather difficult to tell which SR this is, it seems more logical for Aprilia to introduce this feature on the more expensive SR 160 first, perhaps followed by the smaller SR 125 at a later stage. As for the cluster itself, it seems to be identical in shape and size to that seen on the SXR 125 and SXR 160 and is likely to feature an identical layout too. This means it will now get a digital spee...

https://ift.tt/3nIm1pp Ola Electric has announced that it will reopen the purchase process for its electric scooters on November 1, 2021. Over Rs 1,100 crore worth orders in two days Segment leading sales numbers Deliveries for the first lot to begin in October After a slight technical difficulty that led to the purchase process being delayed to September 15, Ola has now successfully completed two days’ sales. The manufacturer revealed that it managed to secure sales worth Rs 600 crore worth on the first day , with it increasing to Rs 1,100 crore by the end of day two.  If one considers the prices of the S1 and S1 Pro, it is clear that Ola has received anywhere between 85,000 and 1,10,000 orders for its scooters. However, until now, buyers have only put down the initial reservation amount of Rs 500 and Rs 20,000 confirming their order. If these numbers remain the same, without any cancellations, it will put Ola Electric at the top of the electric two-wheeler sales cha...

https://ift.tt/39trjNz TVS Motor Co has acquired a majority stake in European e-bike brand EGO Movement thereby marking its foray into the personal e-mobility business. E GO Movement is a Swiss company Makes e-bikes and e-cargo bikes TVS aims to grow presence in Europe The all-cash deal was conducted through its Singapore subsidiary, TVS Motor (Singapore), and is in line with TVS’ strategy of expanding its global presence in developed markets, commencing with Europe, which serves as the heart of the e-bike mobility landscape. “The partnership with EGO Movement reaffirms TVS Motor Company’s commitment towards electrification and the broader sustainability agenda,” Sudarshan Venu, Joint Managing Director, TVS Motor Company, said. “We are building a strategic personal e-mobility ecosystem by scaling unique brands which share our vision of delivering compelling customer experience benchmarks through cutting-edge, aspirational products. The company has a strong presence in Eur...

https://ift.tt/3hGOaJQ Kia has launched the updated Carnival at Rs 24.95 lakh (ex-showroom, pan-India). The MPV gets a new top-spec Limousine Plus variant and Kia’s new logo as part of the update. The Kia Carnival Limousine Plus is priced at Rs 33.99 lakh.  Available in four trims - Premium, Prestige, Limousine and Limousine Plus Top-spec Carnival gets Harman Kardon audio system, TPMS and more Powered by 200hp, 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine Given below are the variant-wise prices for the 2021 Kia Carnival. 2021 Kia Carnival variant-wise prices Variant Price (ex-showroom, pan-India) Premium 7 seater Rs 24.95 lakh Premium 8 seater Rs 25.15 lakh Prestige 7 seater Rs 29.49 lakh Prestige 9 seater Rs 29.95 lakh Limousine 7 seater Rs 31.99 lakh Limousine Plus 7 seater Rs 33.99 lakh 2021 Kia Carnival: what’s new? On the exterior, the 2021 Carnival gets Kia’s new logo which was revealed earlier this year , and all variants of the Carnival are als...

https://ift.tt/2VLIWVk What is it?  Ladies and gentlemen, say a respectful “Haaloo” to the beast of Affalterbach, the GLE 63 S. Nothing less than AMG’s Swiss Army knife, it is an SUV that  –  on paper at least  –  can do anything and everything. This, of course, can’t be done without successfully managing compromise. And let’s be clear, there’s a lot to manage here. The weight compromises performance, the sporty suspension means the ride is likely to be impacted and then an aggressive engine and gearbox tune affects smooth running at low speed. Just how well has AMG managed these conflicting goals? How well can AMG’s GLE Coupe manage in our difficult conditions? And can it actually deliver Rs 2.07 crore worth of luxury SUV muscle? First up, let’s take a look at what we have here. Mercedes practically kick-started the performance SUV trend back in 1999, when it shoehorned it’s 5.4-litre naturally aspirated V8 under the hood of the then ML or M-Class. Two deca...

https://ift.tt/3lDr3RM One of the biggest unveils at this year’s Munich Motor Show was the Renault Megane E-Tech Electric. The Megane E-Tech Electric features a skateboard-style battery arrangement and is the first Renault to run on the Alliance's CMF-EV platform, following the Nissan Ariya . As such, it will play a crucial role in Renault’s bold Renaulution transformation strategy , as the brand hopes to mimic the success it enjoyed with the Zoe . Design inspired by the Megane eVision concept Interior made up of sustainable recycled materials Offers up to 470km of driving range Renault Megane E-Tech: powertrain, charging and underpinnings The Megane E-Tech comes with a choice of two power outputs for the electric motor - 128hp and 215hp - and two battery sizes - 40kWh and 60kWh. Claimed range is 300km and 470km respectively, while the quickest variant will manage a 0 to 100kph in 7.4sec. With the optional 130kW DC charging, it’s possible to charge the battery from 15-80 ...

https://ift.tt/3hGhXCh Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) is set to launch new variants of the Activa 6G and Dio, as per recent type approval documents filed with the Delhi RTO.   Two new Activa 6G variants Four new Dio variants Both scooters are powered by a 110cc engine Honda Activa 6G: two new variants The type approval document suggests that the Activa will be available in two variants Activa 6G and Activa 6G LED. While the document doesn’t elaborate on details about the variants, chances are that one of the variants could be an all-LED setup. At present, the Activa 6G gets an LED headlight. We may also finally see Honda kit the top variant with alloy wheels, giving customers a choice over the current Activa 6G that comes with steel wheels. Honda Dio: four new variants The Honda Dio is also going to be available in four new variants. With composite cast wheels, with a digital speedometer, with composite cast wheel and 3D emblem, and with digital speedom...

https://ift.tt/3lxVXuq The Government of India has approved the PLI (Production-Linked Incentive) scheme for the automobile and drone industry. It has a budgetary outlay of Rs 26,058 crore to incentivise electric vehicle (EV) and hydrogen fuel cell EV (FCEV) manufacturing in the country. However, the amount allocated is less than half of the earlier planned outlay of Rs 57,042 crore, since conventional combustion engine (petrol, diesel or CNG) vehicles have mostly been left out. Scheme caters to both automobile and auto components industry This is less than half of original planned allocation of Rs 57,042 crore  Focus is now primarily on EV manufacturing What is covered under the PLI scheme? The PLI scheme caters to both the automobile as well as the auto components industries. For the component sector, the 22 specific products covered under the initiative include EV parts (charging ports, e-drivetrains, electric vacuum pumps and e-compressors), flex fuel kits, hydrogen fu...

https://ift.tt/3CeVjJe Ola Electric seems to be off to a strong start, having received over Rs 600 crore worth of orders for its S1 and S1 Pro electric scooters. S1 priced at Rs 99,999, S1 Pro at Rs 1,29,999 Deliveries to begin inOctober Two-day purchase window closes tonight The Ola Electric S1 and S1 Pro electric scooters seem rather impressive on paper, so it is not surprising that they received a lot of attention during the pre-booking and reservation phase. After all, it cost only Rs 500 to make a reservation. But that has now been backed up by a strong performance in the purchase phase as well, where buyers have to pay Rs 20,000 to place an order. The two-day purchase window finally opened yesterday after a week’s delay and the company claims it has received orders for scooters worth over Rs 600 crore since then. Ola Electric says that at its peak, it was receiving four orders every second. If one considers the prices of the S1 and S1 Pro, it’s clear that Ola has receive...

https://ift.tt/3nzOUnX Click here to subscribe to the Autocar India magazine Click here to order a single copy of Autocar India In our 22nd Anniversary issue, we drive the highly anticipated Tesla Model 3 on Indian roads. The focus on EVs doesn’t stop there, as we pit the Audi e-Tron Sportback, Jaguar I-Pace and Mercedes EQC against each other in a luxury EV comparison. We also see if Audi’s new e-Tron Sportback can beat an electric train. If EVs aren’t quite your thing, we have you covered: We test the new twin-turbo, V8-powered Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S Coupe, the blisteringly quick Audi RS5 Sportback and the new and improved Force Gurkha. Plus, we also get to exclusively experience the insane made-in-India Kalyani M4 armoured vehicle. Along with this, we have plenty of other reviews, features and news stories you’ll enjoy. Here’s what to expect: Tesla Model 3 Car enthusiasts are abuzz with the news of Tesla coming to India, and we've already driven its hotly anticipated Model 3...

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J from Autocar India https://ift.tt/2VLvlgV